Mast mounting for television antennas



Nov. 17, 1964 J. VANKO MAST MOUNTING FOR TELEVISION ANTENNAS Filed Oct. 5, 1961 INVENTOR.

JOH N VAN KO ATTORNEYS Fig.

United States Patent 3,157,253 MAST MGUNTING FOR TELEVISION ANTENNAS John Vanho, 682 Ridge Road, Hinclrley, Ohio Filed 0st. 3, '1961, Ser. No. 142,643 3 Claims. (Cl. 18928) This invention relates generally to a mast mounting for television antennas, but has reference more particularly to a mounting which is especially designed for supporting an antenna mast in a chimney.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide mounts for television antenna masts, in which the mount is supported wholly within the confines of the chimney, but in all cases, the mounts are of complicated and expensive construction, made up of a large number of parts, and requiring, in most cases, the use of tools for assembly and adjustment.

The present invention has as its primary object the provision of a mount of the character described, which is of simple, inexpensive construction, and which can be quickly and easily assembled with the antenna mast, and assembled and adjusted without the use of tools or fastening devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an antenna mount of the character described, which utilizes spring tension for supporting the antenna mast within the chimney.

A further object of the invention is to provide an antenna mount of the character described which consists of a single piece or length of spring wire.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the antenna mount of the invention as actually used;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the antenna mount;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, showing the connection of the upper part of the mount to the antenna mast, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, showing the connection of the lower part of the mount to the antenna mast.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a tubular mast 1, for supporting a television antenna 2 is shown, the mast extending downwardly into the rectangular shaped fine 3 of a conventional chimney 4, the mast being supported inside the flue and in clamped relation to the corner 5 of the chimney by means of my improved mount.

The mount, which is generally designated by reference numeral 6, is formed from a single piece of spring wire, preferably of high carbon steel, and of a diameter which may vary from A to A. The wire is bent to provide an outwardly-bowed portion '7, approximately two feet in feet in length, and converging arms 8 and 9 which extend from the ends of the bowed portion 7 and towards the mast 1. The distance from the ends of the arms 8 and 9 to the mast is approximately one foot.

The arm 8 is bent to provide a short portion 10 which extends at an acute angle to the arm 8 and is adapted to bear against the mast, and with a short portion 11 which extends perpendicularly to the axis of the mast, and is adapted to be passed through aligned holes 12 and 13 in the mast.

The arm 9 is bent to provide a short portion 14 which extends at an acute angle to the arm 9 and is adapted "ice to bear against the mast, and with a short portion 15, in oifset parallel relationship to the portion 14, the portions 14- and 15 being connected by a short portion 16 which extends perpendicularly to the axis of the mast, the portions 15 and 16 being adapted for passage through any one of holes 17, 18 or 19, in the mast, which holes are spaced about three inches apart.

In assembling the mount with the mast, the portions 15 and 16 of the arm 9 are first inserted through any desired one of the holes 17, 18 or 19 in the mast, in the manner shown, so that the portion 15 lies along the inner wall of the mast, and the portion 14 bears against the outer wall of the mast. The portion 11 of the arm 8 is then passed through the aligned holes 12 and 13 in the mast, in the manner shown, so that the portion 10 of the arm 8 bears against the mast.

With the mount thus assembled with the mast, the mast and mount are pushed downwardly into the chimney flue to a position in which that part of the portion 11 which projects beyond the hole 13 bears against the upper end of the flue 3, and thus serves to limit the extent of downward movement of the mast. In thus pushing the mast and mount downwardly into the chimney flue, the bowed portion 7 of the mount is distorted to the extent shown in FIG. 1 by the pressure of this bowed portion against the corner 5a of the chimney which is diagonally opposite the corner 5, and the mast is frictionally maintained in the desired position by the friction of the bowed portion 7 against the corner 5a, and the friction of the mast with the corner 5 of the chimney. The mast is thus maintained in position by the resilient or spring action of the mount 6. I

It is apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a one-piece mount for television antenna masts which is of simple, inexpensive construction, and which can be quickly and easily assembled with the antenna mast, without the aid of tools or extraneous fastening devices.

It is further apparent that I have provided a mount which utilizes spring tension for supporting the antenna mast within the chimney, with virtually all parts of the mount disposed within the chimney fine.

In order to increase or decrease the tension of the bowed portion 7 of the mount 6, the portions 15 and 16 of the mount may be inserted in any desired one of the holes 17, 18 or 19, such variation causing the bowed portion 7 to be formed into arcs of slightly diiferent curvature, to increase or decrease the tension.

Instead of utilizing a mount of the form described, the mount may, if desired, be made in the form substantially of a semi-circle, that is to say, the portion of the mount between the portions indicated by reference numerals 10 and 14 in FIG. 3, will be of substantially semi-circular form. Illustration of such form is believed to be unnecessary.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A structure for supporting an aerial device over an open-ended vertical tubular base, said structure comprising a vertical tubular mast including an upper portion adapted for attachment of said device and a lower portion positionable within said open-ended tubular base and against an inner surface thereof, said lower portion including a plurality of apertures spaced therealong, a retainer comprising a substantially C-shaped resilient wire element including an outwardly bowed portion and integral upper and lower end portions inserted within a selected pair of said apertures whereby said bowed portion bears against an inner surface of said tubular base diametrically opposite said first named inner surface, the selection of said pair being elfective to determine the arc of said bow and the resultant spacing of said bowed portion from said mast.

A structure for supporting an aerial device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower end portions of said wire retainer comprise ofi'set portions.

3. A structure for supporting an aerial device as set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one of said offset portions includes a short portion extending at an acute angle to said end portion and adapted to bear against the outer surface of said tubular mast adjacent to said selected aperture.

4 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 351,208 10/86 Searles 217-54 X 1,284,376 11/18 Lehman 189-28 X 1,448,338 3/23 Drew 21754 1,450,124 3/23 Watson 217-54 1,924,033 8/33 Flor 18931 2,325,863 8/43 Johnson 21754 2,518,875 8/50 Felber.

2,718,941 9/55 Robinson 189-28 2,972,165 2/61 McClellan 18988 X 3,009,515 11/61 Albee 160369 X HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. JOEL REZNEK, RICARDO P. MACHADO, Examiners. 

1. A STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING AN AERIAL DEVICE OVER AN OPEN-ENDED VERTICAL TUBULAR BASE, SAID STRUCTURE COMPRISING A VERTICAL TUBULAR MAST INCLUDING AN UPPER PORTION ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT OF SAID DEVICE AND A LOWER PORTING POSITIONABLE WITHIN SAID OPEN-ENDED TUBULAR BASE AND AGAINST AN INNER SURFACE THEREOF, SAID LOWER PORTION INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES SPACED THEREALONG, A RETAINER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY C-SHAPED RESILIENT WIRE ELEMENT INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY BOWED PORTION AND INTEGRAL UPPER AND LOWER END PORTIONS INSERTED WITHIN A SELECTED PAIR OF SAID APERTURES WHEREBY SAID BOWED PORTION BEARS AGAINST AN INNER SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR BASE DIA- 